Dodecahedron
by chakramchaser
Summary: AU: Sequel to Low Places, but can stand alone. Camilla is back from Spain, and she has more faces than either Alex or Olivia can imagine. She's about to turn James Monroe Academy onto its head...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: If you feel like checking out the prequel (Low Places), here's a link: _fanfiction__.net/s/5821828/1/Low_Places_**

The cool September air ruffled Olivia's dark hair as she drew her knees up to her chest. She sat under the tree planted in James Monroe's honour, her eyes scanning the quad of his namesake academy.

Her gaze fell abruptly on a girl standing under the arched entrance to the quad; her red and blue kilt moved gently about her knees with the wind and her blonde hair shone in the sun. The girl's head was turning, searching for something. When Olivia stood up, the blonde's eyes found her and she broke into a run.

"Alex!" Olivia said as her friend approached. They threw their arms around each other and hugged, laughing giddily.

"It's so good to see you," she said with a radiant smile. Alex returned it, sitting down next to Olivia's previous spot.

"It would be so much better if we weren't at school," Alex said, waving her hand. "The quad is nothing compared to the cottage. Or Central Park," she added as an afterthought with a nudge at Olivia's arm.

"I'm actually kind of glad to be back," Olivia said as she slid down the tree to join Alex on the grass. "It was getting unbearable without your company."

Alex smiled appreciatively and a contented silence fell over the two. They watched the rest of the students arrive and noisily reunite with friends, squealing and jumping.

Without warning, a thin pixie-like girl appeared in front of Alex and Olivia. She, too, wore a school uniform and an expensive backpack hung off one shoulder.

"Hey, Allie," she said with a sideways smile. Alex jumped to her feet and Olivia watched the two girls hug.

"Oh my god, Cam! It's been forever!" Alex said, turning to Olivia. "Liv, this is Camilla. She was on an exchange in Spain last year."

Olivia stood and brushed off her skirt. "Hi," she said pleasantly. "Nice to meet you."

Camilla's green eyes sparkled as she tucked an auburn curl behind her ear. "Yeah," she agreed. "You're new, right? I don't remember seeing you around here."

"Well, she's hardly new," Alex jumped in at Olivia's defense. "She went here all last year."

"Oh," Camilla said, eyebrows shooting up. "That would explain why I haven't seen you, I guess. Where did you transfer from?"

"PS 196 in Queens," Olivia answered.

"The public system?" Camilla asked, mildly shocked. "Wow. There weren't many students from the public system going here last time I checked. You must be _really _smart for them to have accepted you."

"Yes, well… I try," Olivia said in mock humility, shooting a sideways glance at Alex. The comment, while flattering, had somehow seemed backhanded. She had the feeling that she wasn't going to like this Camilla person very much.

Alex caught Olivia's gaze and smiled reassuringly. "Do you have your schedule yet, Cam?" she asked, taking a piece of folded paper from her backpack.

"You know what? I don't. I should probably make a visit to the office before the bell goes. See you later, Allie! Bye,Olivia." Camilla flashed one last smile at the girls before sashaying off into the school building. Alex turned to Olivia and unfolded her schedule.

"I completely forgot she was coming back!" she said as she scanned the paper. "She'll grow on you, I promise. I do think that Spain has gone to her head, though…"

Olivia rummaged through her bag for her own schedule and shrugged. "Well, I don't know her as well as you do, but I'm sure she's fine."

Alex smiled reassuringly as she took Olivia's schedule in exchange for her own. "She is. Mostly… Oh! We've got law together!"

As Olivia pored over her and Alex's schedules, mused about their teachers and the way the year would take shape, all doubt floated from her mind. This year– their last year– was going to be the best one yet.


	2. Chapter 2

The classroom was unusually cold, and Alex pulled her blazer tight around her. She took a seat and set her bag on the chair next to her, knowing that Olivia would be joining her. When her friend walked in the door, she looked slightly disheveled.

"Holy crap…" she said as she sat down. "Why did I take functions? First day and I'm already thinking of switching."

Alex pulled out her binder and smiled. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Liv," she said. "You're smarter than you give yourself credit for."

Olivia smiled gratefully as the bell rang. A middle-aged woman stood up from behind the desk. Her copper hair was back in a conservative knot, and her posture was what Alex leaned over and described to Olivia as "broom-up-ass". Despite this intimidating appearance, the woman had kind eyes and a pleasant face that boasted features younger than her age.

"Hey, have you seen Camilla's schedule?" Olivia asked Alex as the textbooks were being handed out. Alex shrugged.

"Haven't seen Camilla herself since this morning," she replied. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her, I feel bad. You looked so surprised!"

Olivia shrugged. "Well, why would you have mentioned her? Don't worry about it." She flashed a forgiving smile, easing Alex's irrational anxiety.

"Alright, then," the teacher said. "Let's get started! My name is Ms Watson and as you are all clearly aware, this is Senior Law."

The class looked around at each other hesitantly.

"This class will be an in-depth look at the inner workings of our legal system," Ms Watson continued. "If you aren't prepared to take this course seriously, I suggest that you make an appointment with the academic counselor within the not-too-distant future. I will not tolerate anybody fooling around in this room."

Alex glanced at Olivia, her eyebrows arched fabulously high. Her pink mouth was curved into a quirky half-smile. Olivia smiled, amused at Alex's unbridled excitement.

"Law is the basis of our society," Ms Watson said as she began to pace the front of the room. "I feel that it's important that young people have an understanding of the reasons behind the way we live. I hope that I can give you that information over the course of the year." She stopped directly in front of Alex's desk and smiled.

"You're a Cabot," she said definitively. Olivia didn't think Alex's eyes could possibly get any wider.

"Y-yes…" she stuttered. "How did you know?"

Ms Watson smiled knowingly. "It's the eyes," she said. Then, she turned on her heel and returned to the front of the room.

"This young woman," she addressed the class, "comes from a long line of lawyers. She's got it in her blood. Her father is one of the greatest judges I ever had the pleasure of working with."

A scrawny brunette boy raised his hand. "You worked with a judge? Aren't you a teacher?" he said.

"Quite right," Ms Watson smiled. "I'm also a retired prosecutor. You've got a good mind for detail there, Mr…"

"Thompson," the boy supplied eagerly. "James Thompson."

"Mr Thompson, then. You'd make an excellent defense attorney." She smiled at James, who glowed with pride.

"Now, turn to page 15 of your text for an introduction to the Constitution." Ms Watson turned to the board and began to jot down instructions.

Alex furiously scribbled on a piece of paper, handing it to Olivia subtly. When she opened it, she found a hastily written note.

_ I think I'm in love with this class!_


	3. Chapter 3

Alex held Olivia's hand, tugging as hard as she could.

"Liv! Come on!" She stopped pulling, exasperated, and planted her hands firmly on her hips. "It's not going to be that bad!"

"I know, I just…. I don't know if I can do this." Olivia stood at the foot of the concrete stairs, staring up at the huge red-brick house in front of her. It was at least three times bigger than Alex's house, and she could see a chandelier glittering in the entrance hallway from one of the windows.

"I know you don't know her, Liv," Alex said, hooking her thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans. "But we're just watching a movie. How bad could it be?"

Just then, the front door opened. Alex whirled around and smiled at Camilla, who was dressed casually with her hair piled on top of her head. Her face was smeared with a pale green paste.

"Hey, girls!" she greeted them. "I'm just finishing up with my facial. Come on in!"

"How bad can it be?" Olivia whispered cynically in Alex's ear as they linked arms and ventured inside.

"Point taken…" Alex's mouth twisted as she held back her laughter. Camilla shut the door behind them.

"Make yourselves at home," she said, pointing to a dark room off to the left. "Let me rinse this stuff off and I'll be right there…"

Alex nodded and led Olivia into the room as Camilla disappeared up an impressively long flight of stairs. When the light was flipped on, Olivia did a double-take.

She was face-to-face with a television taller than she was. To her right, an obscenely large leather couch sat in the corner. Beyond the television, there were various other entertainment options- a pool table, a ping pong table and an arcade-style video game were among the first things that jumped out.

Alex plopped down on the couch and lay back, patting a spot next to her. A stunned Olivia lowered herself down slowly.

"Cam's dad is one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons in the country. He travels around all the time to do special procedures and stuff. Gets paid pretty well, too. Hence, all of this…" She made a general motion with her hand. Olivia nodded mutely.

"It blows my mind. I bet that TV could have built five schools for children in Africa!" Olivia answered. Alex laughed, poised too reply when Camilla walked in.

"Alright! I vote for a romantic comedy, but we have other stuff as well…"

"It doesn't really matter to me," Alex said as she leaned back into the soft couch. Olivia shrugged.

"Whatever you like," she said genially.

Camilla pulled a DVD off of a shelf, not bothering to tell Alex or Olivia what it was before popping it into the player. It appeared to be some romantic comedy or another, and Alex made some insignificant remark about it as Camilla pressed play.

Olivia leaned back as the opening credits flashed across the massive screen, preparing herself for a night of boredom. She was distracted a few seconds later, though, when Camilla reached into a small wooden box on the table and pulled out rolling papers and a bag of marijuana.

"Anyone want some?" she said nonchalantly as she expertly rolled a joint. Olivia cast a sideways glance at Alex, who seemed just as surprised.

"Aren't your parents home?" she asked, running her hand anxiously through her hair.

"Yeah," Camilla replied as she flicked the lighter on and held it to the end of the joint. "They won't care, though. Trust me."

Olivia wrinkled her nose as the sickly sweet smell reached her senses and Cam held the joint out to her. She shook her head.

"No, thanks," she smiled awkwardly, her brow furrowed. "I'm not really into that…"

Cam raised her eyebrows skeptically at Olivia before turning to Alex, who accepted the joint but held it as if it were some completely revolting insect. She held it to her lips and inhaled, and was immediately overtaken by a coughing fit. Camilla simply laughed and took the joint back, taking another drag.

"You'll get over it," she said, focusing her attention on the screen.

Ten minutes later, Alex was still coughing sporadically and Olivia was out of her mind with boredom. Camilla was engrossed in the film, but somehow managed to generate mindless chatter that was almost constant. Olivia felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket- a text message.

From Alex…

Olivia looked quizzically at her friend, who was looking a bit green around the gills. She opened the text.

_Get me out of here!_

Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes at Alex as she set about concocting their escape plan. Both girls knew that if they didn't come up with something, it was going to be a long night…


	4. Chapter 4

Olivia shut the door of Alex's Lexus and helped her towards the stairs- the marijuana was having more of an effect on her than either of them had anticipated. Alex's face was painted with a goofy smile and she was looking at Olivia adoringly.

"You're a good friend," she mused as Olivia opened the door. "The best friend I've ever had."

"That's nice," Olivia said, pausing and turning to look at her friend. "Now, you're going to have to be very quiet now, alright?"

Alex cocked her head to one side, a quizzical look on her face. "Why?"

"Because your parents are home," Olivia continued in a whisper. "I don't think they'd be very happy with either of us if they found you like this."

Alex became very serious, her eyebrows sinking very low as she nodded in understanding. "Okay," she whisper-shouted.

Olivia opened the door the rest of the way and listened for clues as to where the Cabots were. She heard the television on in the living room, which was past the stairs. She helped Alex inside and motioned for Alex to go upstairs, which she did. Olivia the turned around to shut the door.

When she turned back, she saw that Alex was headed past the stairs and towards the kitchen. She winced and lunged for Alex, grabbing her by the wrist.

"Wha–" Alex started loudly before Olivia clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Shhh," she cautioned, holding a finger up to her lips. Alex's serious face returned as she nodded.

"Right," she said. "I remember."

Olivia rolled her eyes and made sure not to let go of Alex's hand until they were safely in her bedroom with the door shut. Alex plopped down on her bed.

"Why didn't you go upstairs like I told you?" Olivia asked, half irritated and half amused.

"I got hungry," Alex explained, patting her stomach exaggeratedly. "Still am hungry."

Olivia smiled. "Yeah, well, that happens… Come on, let's get you into your PJs."

Alex began to unbutton her shirt as Olivia headed for the back corner of the room where she had put her own things. After she changed into a pair of plaid pajama pants and a white tank top, she turned to Alex. She was still sitting on the bed, the top three buttons of her shirt undone.

"Come on, Al!" Olivia said, smiling. "Let's go!"

"I was just thinking," Alex said, her arms lying limply on either side of her and her head lolling to the side. "Camilla isn't anything like she used to be."

"Oh, really?" Olivia said as she knelt down to unbutton the rest of Alex's shirt. "Why don't you tell me what she used to be like…"

"Well," Alex said pensively, "She used to be a lot more fun. She didn't talk about herself all the time! She used to be more like you, Liv."

"I find that hard to believe," Olivia said as she removed Alex's shirt and tossed it into an open drawer. She picked up a James Monroe t-shirt and pulled the neckhole over Alex's head, leaving it there.

"You can do the rest."

Alex giggled, squirming as she pushed her arms through the armholes. Her blonde hair was full of static but she made no move to fix it.

"Listen, Olivia," she said as she pulled her friend down to sit next to her, draping her arm around Olivia's shoulders. "I'm going to be honest with you."

"Alright," Olivia said warily.

"You're amazing," Alex said. "My favourite friend I've had in my whole life." She drew out the "o" in "whole", making it sound more like a musical note than a word.

"Thanks, Al," Olivia said with a token smile. She knew Alex probably had no idea what planet she was on right now.

"No, Liv, I mean it!" Alex nodded her head furiously for emphasis. "Even if you always come to my house because your mom's a crazy drunk, I don't mind because you're that special to me."

Olivia's eyes hardened when she heard that, her stomach twisting into a knot. She couldn't believe that she had just heard that come from Alex's mouth, even if they both knew that it was true. It hurt to hear it out loud. Alex continued on, though, unaffected.

"I feel sorry for you sometimes that your mom is like that," Alex said. "But I'm happy to help you because you really are my best friend." She grabbed Olivia by the shoulders so they were face-to-face. "Am I_ your_ best friend, Olivia?"

"Yes, Alex," Olivia said with a sigh. "You are my best friend in the whole entire world."

Alex's blue eyes glistened and she smiled, pulling Olivia into a tight hug. "Thank you, Liv," she said, her grip loosening. "I'm going to go to sleep now."

She fell back on the bed, still wearing her jeans. Olivia stood and flicked off the lights and climbed in next to her.

"I love you, Olivia Benson," came Alex's tired voice through the darkness. "I love you so much…"

"Yeah, okay." Olivia rolled her eyes in the dark, smiling. "I love you too. Now try to sleep that off."

Alex exhaled loudly and shifted her position. Olivia sighed and closed her eyes for the night, letting the clear suburban moonlight wash over her.


	5. Chapter 5

Alex had a death grip on Olivia's arm as they walked into the quad of James Monroe Academy. Her blue eyes were sparkling with intensity and her face was bright red with embarrassment. Olivia squeezed her friend's arm.

"Alex, come on! There's nothing to be anxious about. It was only us and Camilla."

"I know," Alex hissed, "but I was still acting like a total idiot."

"Yeah," Olivia said through clenched teeth as she flashed an artificial smile at Camilla, who was approaching them from across the lawn. "That's what drugs do to you, Al…"

Camilla planted herself right in the girls' path and blocked their progress towards the classrooms. Her hair was up in a casual knot on top of her head and the top buttons of her blazer were undone well beyond the dress code's allowance.

"How are you girls today?" she asked, her green eyes glinting with mischief. "Did you have a good rest of weekend?" This question was accompanied by a knowing glance at Alex.

"It was great, Cam," Alex said sarcastically before giving Olivia a desperate glance and hurrying off into the school. Olivia regarded Camilla with a cautious sideways glance before hurrying off after Alex. Before she could get very far, though, she felt a tug on her backpack. She whipped around to see Camilla's hand reaching out for her.

"Make sure she's alright, will you?" she said, her voice thick with sincerity. "I can tell she'd rather not talk to me."

Olivia nodded and ran into the school building, marveling at Camilla's uncanny and irritating ability to portray any emotion so convincingly.

When Olivia found Alex a good few minutes after the bell rang, she was in the small and generally unpopulated washroom on the top floor of the school. Her bag was in a corner and she herself was in one of the stalls. Olivia approached the stall and knocked gently on the door.

"Al?" she called out. "Are you alright?"

The only reply was a sniff.

"Ally, let me in…" Olivia knocked on the door a few more times and when there was still no reply, she sighed.

"Don't make me crawl under the door, Alex. That floor is absolutely nasty and if I have to muck up this lovely kilt to get to you–"

A tearful laugh bubbled up from Alex's throat, and a few seconds later Olivia heard the stall door click and it opened slowly before her. Alex's eyes were watery and red-rimed, and her tears had made trails down her unusually made-up face. Olivia walked in and reached out for Alex's arm.

"Al, what's going on?" Olivia said, shutting the stall door behind her for privacy. "This has to be about more than just the weekend."

Alex bit her lip and tried to hold back the rest of her tears, but they slipped over anyway. Her chin quivered uncontrollably. Olivia reached up to Alex's face and brushed away a tear, sending her into hysterics. She collapsed into Olivia, hugging her tightly as she sobbed into her blazer.

"Shh…." Olivia crooned, slightly alarmed at Alex's breakdown. She was usually so composed, and something like this was unusual. "It's okay, you can talk to me."

Alex sniffed. "I know I can," she said, speaking into Olivia's shoulder. "I'm just afraid of what I'll say…"

"What do you mean?" Olivia said, pulling Alex away from her to look into her eyes. Alex's sobs had stopped, but the tears still ran steadily down her face.

"I hate myself," she said after a moment, her voice cracking and wavering. Olivia's brow furrowed as she took Alex's hands.

"But why?" she said. "You haven't done anything wrong. It was just a little bit of pot… You didn't like it, then don't do it again."

"It's not just that!" Alex wailed. "I mean, the fact that I did it was enough. I don't know what I was thinking. I just wanted Cam back, she's been looking at me lately as if I'm less than I used to be."

"Alex, you're perfect." Olivia squeezed her hands and nodded. "Nothing is wrong with you."

"Don't say that!" Alex shouted, tearing her hands out of Olivia's. "You know it's not true. I can't even imagine what you think of me after what I said to you… about your mom. I can barely stand myself."

Olivia's gaze softened. "Alex," she said, "It's okay. My mom is a crazy drunk, you're absolutely right."

"But I didn't need to say it…" Alex mumbled, ashamed.

"You're right, you didn't need to say it." Olivia shrugged. "But we both know it's true. You didn't do anything wrong. It was the drugs talking."

"That's the other thing, Liv," Alex said. "I only took them because I felt like Cam would go back to the way she used to be with me. It was like I was giving a piece of myself over to her…" She sniffed. "And it's no different."

Olivia took Alex firmly by the shoulders, her own eyes beginning to moisten. "Listen to me, Alex. You can't let Cam govern your life. Forget about her!" Alex sniffed and nodded.

"Besides," Liv continued. "No matter what happens, you'll still have me. I swear that I'll never change."

Alex gave Olivia a watery smile and nodded before reaching out and hugging her tightly. She took a shaky breath.

"I never want you to change, Liv," she said. "You really are the best friend I've ever had."


	6. Chapter 6

That afternoon, both Alex and Olivia had been sure that the worst of the day was over. They shared friendly smiles from their seats in biology, and took dutiful notes. They felt as if they were in the calm after the storm and that everything was fine.

At first, Olivia didn't realize what the problem was when the teacher accidentally kicked over her backpack. She righted it quickly and cast her eyes down.

"Sorry, Mr Drew," she apologized automatically. "I'll leave it in my locker next time."

"Next time, don't bring it into the school at all," he replied, his voice dangerously low. Olivia looked up at him quizzically.

"I shouldn't bring my bag to school?" she asked, confused.

When Mr Drew bent down and picked up a small plastic bag that had fallen from Olivia's backpack, she felt her stomach sink through the floor.

The wrinkly, greenish leaves in the bag could be unmistakably identified as pot.

Her heart started beating so fast that she hardly knew what to do with herself. She could feel her face grow warm with confusion and anger at the possible scenarios running through her mind- she knew that she hadn't put the stuff there. Hell, where would she even have gotten it? Before she could say another word, Mr Drew had picked up her backpack and was holding the door open for her.

"I gather that you know where to go," he said coldly as Olivia took her backpack from him and stepped out into the hall. She cast a helpless look at Alex before the door shut and she was cut off from the class.

Inside, Alex could think of nothing but Olivia. She could barely comprehend what had just happened; Olivia was the last person she would expect to have pot in their bag. Before she knew what she was doing, Alex's hand flew up and she asked to go to the washroom.

Once in the hallway, she practically flew in the direction of the principal's office. When she caught sight of the back of Olivia's head rounding the corner, she shouted.

"Liv!" Alex came to a stop beside her, panting. "What the hell was that?"

Olivia turned to face Alex, her eyes glistening with anxious tears. "You have to believe me, Al, I have no idea how it got there…" She bit her lip, refusing to cry. Alex's eyes softened.

"Of course I believe you," she reassured her friend. "I just want to make sure that you're okay. I promise we'll find out what happened."

Olivia nodded shakily, looking in the direction of the office. Alex could feel the fear in Olivia's heart; the knot of worry had settled in her stomach as well. She pulled Olivia into a hug and held her tight.

"Don't worry," she said in an exhausted whisper. "We'll be fine."

Olivia closed her eyes, willing that Alex was right. Then, without another word, she pulled away and disappeared into the ominous quiet of the office.


	7. Chapter 7

The halls were quiet soon after the final bell rang for the day. The only sound was the occasional series of footsteps from another part of the building and the hum of the fluorescent lights. Alex stood across from the main office, clutching her binder to her chest.

About fifteen minutes later, the door swung open. Olivia emerged, her bag hanging off of one shoulder. Her eyes were locked on the ground. She only looked up when Alex took a step forward.

"So?" she asked anxiously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What happened?"

"Um…" Olivia gave her head a gentle shake, as if to knock the information loose. "They said that, um… that I need to attend some disciplinary hearing on Friday and, um… My scholarship could be taken away." Olivia was devoid of any emotion, as if she was just regurgitating what had been said. Alex doubted any of it had sunk in.

"Oh, no…" Alex put her hand on Olivia's shoulder and steered her towards the quad. They walked slowly, saying nothing. Alex's brow was furrowed in worry. She noticed how Olivia's deep brown eyes seemed darker than usual, glinting with intensity.

"If I get suspended," Olivia mused, "it'll show up on my permanent record… Would it affect college acceptances?"

Alex shook her head, unable to answer, as they entered the open green space of the quad. They crossed the grass and stopped in the parking lot, where Alex waved to her mother's blue Mercedes Benz before turning back to Olivia.

"Listen, Liv," Alex said gently. "If you need anything, just call me. Really."

Olivia nodded blankly as Alex gave her a sympathetic smile and hurried off to the car. When it left the lot, Olivia could hear nothing but the wind.

**I I I I I**

That night, Alex found herself driving around the perimeter of Central Park in her Lexus. The light was long gone from the sky and the street lamps flooded the sidewalks with small puddles of yellow light. The digital clock on the dash read 10:21, eleven minutes after Alex had received the call from Olivia.

It was a short conversation in which Liv had only asked Alex to come pick her up at the park. She had wasted no time after hanging up, familiar with the stoic but strained tone of Liv's voice. For all the months they had been friends, Alex could tell when something was wrong even if Liv didn't want to let on.

When she finally spotted Olivia on Central Park West just outside Strawberry Fields, she parked the car and unlocked the doors. First came Olivia's knapsack, stuffed to the point where the zippers were almost bursting. Then Olivia lowered herself into the passenger seat and shut the door. She kept her gaze locked out the window, not even saying hello to Alex.

"Liv?" Alex said gently. "You're okay?"

Olivia's head was still turned away, her hair down and covering her face. She murmured something and dropped her head lower.

"Olivia…" Alex's voice was tainted with anxiety this time as it slowly dawned on her that something was seriously wrong. "Olivia, look at me."

Liv shook her head. "Just drive," she whispered. "Please."

Alex reached out with her left hand, touching Olivia's chin. Liv moved away, her shoulders hunching.

"Liv," Alex said. "Come on, it's okay. Let me see." She reached out again, turning Olivia's head towards her. When it came into full view, Alex's stomach folded in on itself.

Olivia's right eye was purple and blue, and her lip was split on the same side. There was a small scratch on her left cheek, and her face was moist with tears. As Alex looked her over, Olivia's chin began to tremble.

"It's really bad this time," she said softly, her voice giving way to a sob at the end. Alex exhaled and took Olivia into her arms, whispering words of comfort as she cried.

After a few minutes, Liv sniffed and gestured to the bag. "I brought some stuff. Could I–"

"Don't even ask," Alex said, blinking back tears herself. "You can always stay with me."

Olivia nodded and turned her head forward, breathing slowly and deeply. Alex started the car and drove through the city streets back to her house. The ride was long and silent, with Alex's left hand on the wheel and her right hand tightly clasping Olivia's.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hold still," Alex admonished Olivia. She was perched on the edge of Alex's bed, her face angled upwards as Alex hovered over her with a compact. She dabbed around Olivia's eye, coating the yellowish remnants of her bruise with the thick, tan powder. Every now and then, Olivia winced and jerked her head away.

"There," Alex said triumphantly after a minute or two of touch-ups. "All done."

Olivia groaned and stood, heading over to Alex's mirror. "And now I know why I hardly ever wear makeup," she said as she inspected her face with a cautious eye.

Alex smiled warily and straightened her blazer. Making sure her neck bow was tied neatly, she smoothed the pleats of her skirt and turned to Olivia.

"All set?" she asked, her voice higher than normal. Her anxiety was showing through.

Olivia turned around, smiling at her friend. "Al, you sound more nervous than I am. It's my hearing, not yours!" She shook her head, picked up her bag and headed down the stairs.

"I know, but I can't help worrying. I can't imagine what school would be like without you." Alex rolled her eyes as she opened the front door and headed to her car. "If you get expelled and stick me with Camilla, I will kill you."

Olivia smiled and gave a short laugh, sliding into the passenger seat. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind while the trustees are grilling me. It'll make for a very compelling defense."

The drive to the school passed in tense silence. Neither Alex nor Olivia was acutely aware of the passage of time, so it seemed like only minutes when they suddenly found themselves face-to-face with the heavy wooden doors of James Monroe Academy's board room.

"Well," Olivia said with a shaky breath. "Here goes nothing."

They walked bravely through the doors, which came to a close with an ominous bang behind them.


	9. Chapter 9

Olivia sat on the hard wooden chair, nervously crossing and uncrossing her legs. She was in front of a long table of nicely dressed baby boomers, all whispering or fiddling with their $200 pens and leather-bound notebooks. Alex sat near the back of the room, her hands clamped together tightly in her lap so that her knuckles were white.

When a heavy man in a blue suit cleared his throat, the room fell silent. Alex saw Olivia's jaw tighten as the man looked at her distrustfully.

"We are here today to determine the course of action to be taken regarding the blatant disobedience of school regulations committed by Olivia Benson," he announced to the room. "Miss Benson was found in possession of an illegal substance on school property. Why don't you tell us what happened." He directed the last bit at Olivia, accompanied by a wary glance.

"Well," Olivia started, her voice loud but shaky. "I was sitting in class and my bag fell over, and a sack of marijuana fell out. I was immediately sent to the principal's office."

"Are there any comments debating the accuracy of the sequence of events?" the man addressed the room. Alex had to bite her tongue to keep from interjecting in her friend's defense.

"I do have something else to say though," Olivia said. The man looked up from his notes and sighed.

"Go ahead," he said, looking extremely doubtful of anything that Olivia might say.

"I don't deny having possession of the marijuana," Olivia said. "But I didn't make any effort to acquire it. I honestly have no idea how it got in my backpack or who put it there."

The man removed his glasses and set them rather roughly on the table in front of him. "Are you saying that somebody planted the drugs on you?" he said dubiously. "You're aware that's a serious allegation."

"Yes, I am," Olivia said. "But it's really the only thing I can think of. Because I promise you..." Olivia took a deep breath to calm herself, blinking back tears. "I would NEVER do anything to jeopardize my position at James Monroe. This school is the best chance I have at life," she said, "and I feel so incredibly lucky to be here." She finished, sighing and dropping her head to hide the expression on her face.

Alex stood up, unable to contain herself any longer. "May I say something, sir?" she asked, wringing her hands. Olivia looked up quizzically, searching Alex's face for what she was going to do.

"This is an open hearing," the trustee said with a nod. Alex took a deep breath and continued.

"I'm one of Olivia's best friends and I am completely convinced of her good character," Alex said, flashing a quick smile at her friend. "I could never imagine her doing something like this. And I do have an idea of what might have happened..."

The man in the suit raised his eyebrow. "And what might that be, Miss..." he trailed off.

"Cabot," Alex supplied. "Alex Cabot."

"Alright then, Miss Cabot. Why don't you share your theory with us?" The look in the man's eyes was patronizing, but Alex went on anyway.

"Olivia and I were at the home of another James Monroe student over the weekend and she was using marijuana while we were there," Alex explained. "I feel that this student might have slipped some into Olivia's bag..."

The man's eyebrows climbed halfway up his forehead."Do you have a basis for this accusation?" he said, his voice heavy with disbelief and irritation at Alex's audacity.

"Well, it's more of a gut feeling," Alex reddened with embarrassment at the weakness of her argument. "The student and I used to be very good friends and I feel like she might resent my relationship with Liv, er, Miss Benson." Alex finished, exhaling loudly.

"So it may be recorded in the record," the man said, "what is this student's name?"

"Camilla Gallagher," Alex replied after a moment's hesitation. "Her name is Camilla Gallagher."

There was a moment of pause as the man jotted this down. The trustees were whispering amongst themselves, no doubt debating whether Alex and Olivia were being truthful or simply concocting a story to get out of trouble. When the man looked up from his notes, he cleared his throat.

"Is there anyone else who wishes to say something before we close the hearing?" he said. Alex heard a chair scrape on the ground behind her, and she turned around. Her heart filled with hope when she saw who the chair's occupant was.

"My name is Paula Watson and I teach Miss Benson, Miss Cabot and Miss Gallagher's law course," she introduces herself. She smiled reassuringly at Olivia and nodded at Alex before continuing.

"As an impartial third party, I would like to vouch for Miss Benson in this situation," she said. "She's an exceptionally bright young woman and I would find it very hard to believe that she would involve herself willingly in situations with such serious implications."

The man nodded and jotted down a few notes. "Thank you, Ms Watson."

"And one more thing," she interjected. "I have also noticed a passive hostility displayed towards Miss Benson by Miss Gallagher over the course of the year," Ms Watson said, glancing at Alex. "I say this only in an attempt to validate Miss Cabot's 'gut feeling', not to desecrate Miss Gallagher's character. She can be quite a pleasant young woman. But given the circumstances…" she paused, shrugging. "I wouldn't be surprised if Miss Cabot's theory rang true."

"Thank you, Ms Watson," the man said, nodding. "We will take that into consideration during our deliberations. This hearing is adjourned, with the verdict to be released Monday at 3:30 PM." He stood up and headed out of the room, followed by the other trustees. As soon as they left, the stray spectators trickled out after them.

Alex stood and ran over to Olivia, who still sat in her wooden chair. She looked up at Alex in disbelief, overwhelmed with the entire situation.

"Come on, Liv," Alex said as she pulled her out of the chair. "Let's get home. There's nothing else we can do until Monday."

The girls walked towards the door together, holding hands. Even though Olivia's thoughts were racing and she had no sense of peace, there was a vague feeling that everything would be alright.

As long as Alex was there, everything would be fine.


	10. Chapter 10

The TV in Alex's bedroom did nothing but provide background noise as Olivia and Alex sat silently, lost in their own thoughts. Alex was in her desk chair with her legs swung over the armrest, and Olivia was nestled on the bed among Alex's many throw pillows. After a moment, she spoke.

"Al, do you really think that Cam did it?" she said, keeping her eyes glued to the bedspread.

"It was my best guess," Alex replied with a sigh. "But frankly, I wouldn't put it past her now."

Olivia looked up at Alex, who was staring at the ceiling. Her hair was loose and hanging over the edge of the chair, moving gently in the breeze from the vent on the wall. She looked over at Olivia, her bright blue eyes clouded with worry.

"Are you okay, Alex?" Liv asked, sitting up straighter. "You can talk to me."

Alex shook her head and returned her gaze to the ceiling. "You don't need to worry about me," she said in monotone. "You've got enough on your plate already."

Olivia cocked her head to one side and pursed her lips. "Al, come here."

Alex looked over at Olivia again, narrowing her eyes. "What?"

"Come. Here."

Rolling her eyes, Alex stood up and walked over to the bed. She sat a few feet from where Olivia was planted, cross-legged, on top of the bedspread. Olivia reached out and put her hand on Alex's knee.

"I'm fine, Liv," Alex said, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a half smile. "Really, I am. I just don't understand how you can worry about me when you've got so much to think about. I don't deserve you."

"Stop that!" Olivia shoved Alex's shoulder playfully. "We're friends. Lord knows you've done enough for me already, so the least you can do is let me ask if you're okay!" She smiled warmly at Alex, happy to be having a more or less regular conversation.

Alex laughed, and they sat together in silence for a moment. When Alex raised her hand to Olivia's eye and ran her finger gently under it, their smiles vanished at the memory of the night at Central Park.

"It's almost faded," Alex near whispered, her fingertip lingering on the yellow traces of the bruise. Olivia nodded and cast her eyes down.

"I want to thank you," she said softly. "I want to thank you so much for everything you've given me, but I can't find the words…" Her voice trailed off as she began to choke up, looking away to try and conceal it.

Alex threw her arms around Olivia and pulled her into a tight hug. "You don't have to say anything," she said. "I know. And _please_ believe me when I say that I'm grateful too."

Olivia laughed as she let a tear slip down her cheek and hugged Alex back. She wasn't religious in any way, shape or form- but every day she thanked God for Alex.

Knowing that she did the same was all that Olivia needed.


End file.
